Charm display device and the like

ABSTRACT

An article of clothing is disclosed consisting of a sock having one or more charms attached thereto. The article also has indicia imitative of a chain located in the proximity of the one or more charms. The article provides a woman or child with the appearance of a charm chain without the complications and drawbacks associated with a real chain.

FIELD

The present invention relates to charms and more specifically to charmsdisplayed on a clothing article.

BACKGROUND

It has become fashionable for women to display charms on their legs,usually a short distance above the top of their shoes, boots, etc.,where the charms are typically supported by at least one chain. Thisfashion extends to situations where the woman is wearing socks.Unfortunately, the charm and chain would tend to become obscured behindand tangled in the material near the top of the sock.

Furthermore, young girls often seek to wear jewelry worn by grown women,including the charm chains. However, a child's limited dexteritytypically prevents her from easily actuating the clasp on a chain.

Accordingly, there is a need for charms to be displayed on a sock and,located proximal to the charms, indicia imitative of a chain, providingthe appearance of a real charm chain. The indicia would have theadvantage of being incapable of tangling with or obscured by thematerial near the top of the sock.

SUMMARY

An article of clothing for a child is disclosed. The article comprisesat least one charm connected to the garment, and indicia imitative of achain located proximal to the at least one charm. The article providesthe appearance of a charm chain without the complications and drawbacksthat would face a woman or child attempting to wear a charm chain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order that the manner in which the above objectives are realized, aparticular description of the invention will be rendered by reference tospecific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appendeddrawings. Understanding that the drawings depict only typicalembodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered tobe limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explainedwith additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a sock having charms connectedthereto and indicia imitative of a chain located proximal to the charms;and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sock of FIG. 1, takensubstantially along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

An article of clothing is disclosed consisting of a sock having one ormore charms and indicia imitative of a chain applied thereto. Thesefeatures provide a woman or child with the appearance of a charm chainwithout the complications and drawbacks that would face the woman orchild attempting to wear a charm chain.

Turning to FIG. 1, a child's sock 4 is illustrated. The sock, in theillustration, is a typical girl's or woman's anklet sock having a toe 6,a contoured heel 8, a welt 10 and a top edge 12 defined by the uppermostportion of the welt 10. It is to be appreciated that the sock could beanother type of sock, such as an athletic sock, a bobby sock, a shortie,an over-the-calf, a knee-high or an over-the-knee sock. The sock 4 ismanufactured from typical materials for a sock, such as cotton, asynthetic material or a blend of cotton and synthetics.

The sock 4 has indicia 14 located between the bottom edge of the welt 16and the heel 8. The indicia 14 are imitative of a chain havingintertwined links. The purpose of the indicia 14 is to provide the sock4 with the appearance of an overlying chain. The Figures illustrate acharm anklet with circular links, but it is to be appreciated that avariety of fashionable chain shapes could be chosen for the indicia.Such shapes include herringbone, rope and Figaro.

Preferably, the indicia 14 are produced using, for example, a jacquardknit, but the indicia can also be embroidered or even screen-printedonto the sock 4. If knitting or embroidery is used, then a typicalmetallic fiber provides the luster and appearance of a metallic chain.The metallic fiber is blended with a fiber that is similar to that usedin fabricating the sock. The yarn that results from the blended fibersis sufficiently elastic, strong and durable to sustain the indiciaduring application and normal wear and care.

The indicia 14 are sized to provide the typical link diameter for a realchain. For example, each link has a diameter of preferably between 2 and10 mm. For symmetry, each link has a thickness of approximately onefifth of the diameter. The overall length of the indicia 14 isequivalent to the circumference of the sock at the location of theindicia. However, the indicia 14 could alternatively be designed withthe appearance of chain slack, and in that case the overall length wouldbe longer than the circumference of the sock.

The indicia 14 are illustrated as being continuous, i.e., imitative of achain without a clasp. The continuous chain provides symmetry to aviewer when looking at the sock 4 from any perspective. However, theindicia could include the design of a clasp to further imitate a realchain.

The top of the indicia 14 is separated from the top edge 12 of the sock4 by a distance that is sufficient to visually separate the indicia 14from the top edge of the sock 12. With regard to a sock having a welt 10(or other form of permanent cuff), the indicia 14 is separated from thebottom edge 16 of the welt 10 by a distance that is sufficient tovisually separate the indicia 14 from the welt 10.

The distance between the chain and the top edge of the sock 12 is not solarge that the indicia 14 appear lower than the angle bone for a girl orwoman. With an anklet sock, having a short span of material between thebottom edge 16 of the welt 10 and the heel 8, the top of the indicia 14is separated from the bottom edge 16 of the welt 10 by less than half ofthe diameter of a single link of the indicia.

At least one charm 18 is attached to the sock 4. The charm 18, in theillustration, is a heart. The charm can be any known and enjoyed charm,where known charms relate to relationships, sports, religion and otherinterests.

The material used for fabricating the charm may be, for example,plastic, enamel or rhinestone, which may be painted as desired, or thecharm may be fabricated from a non-precious metal or a typical metalalloy, which may be silver-plated, or even from a precious metal such assolid silver. The charm 18 is small enough to be comfortable for aperson to wear but large enough to be seen and appreciated. For example,the surface area of the charm is between two and three times the surfacearea of a single link on the indicia 14. The charm 18 has a typicalthickness that is large enough to withstand normal use.

Turning to FIG. 2, in addition to FIG. 1, a first loop 20 and a secondloop 22 are each illustrated. The first loop 20 is integrally connectedto the charm 18 and the second loop 22 (FIG. 2) is sewn through the sockmaterial. The loops 20 and 22 are intertwined for retaining the charm 18against the sock 4. Alternatively, the first loop 20 is threadeddirectly to the sock 4 and the second loop is omitted.

The charm 18 is attached to the sock 4 in the vicinity of at least onelink of the indicia 14. This location provides the appearance ofconnecting the charm to the indicia rather than to the sock 4. It is tobe appreciated that there can be as many charms as there are links inthe indicia while still maintaining the appearance of a charm ankletconnected to the sock.

The indicia 14 are preferable but not essential, as charms are capableof being connected to the sock without the addition of indicia 14.Without the indicia 14, a plurality of charms could be symmetricallydisposed about the sock circumference, below the top edge of the sock.Such a design is cost effective by minimizing the process ofmanufacturing the clothing article.

Accordingly, an article of clothing has been disclosed consisting of asock 4 having one or more charms and indicia imitative of a chainattached thereto. The indicia have the added benefit of providing awoman or child with the appearance of a charm chain without thecomplications and drawbacks that would face the woman or childattempting to wear a real chain.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or characteristics. The described embodimentsare to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not asrestrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by theappended claims and their combination in whole or in part rather than bythe foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within theirscope.

1. An article of clothing comprising: an opening; and at least one charmconnected to the article located proximal to the opening.
 2. The articleof claim 1 further comprising indicia imitative of a chain, said indiciabeing located proximal to said at least one charm, said indiciacomprising a series intertwined links, each link having at most onecharm located proximal to it.
 3. The article of claim 2, said indiciabeing imitative of a continuous chain.
 4. The article of claim 3,wherein said indicia comprise a metallic fiber.
 5. The article of claim4, wherein said indicia are produced using jacquard knitting.
 6. Thearticle of claim 4, wherein said indicia are produced using embroidery.7. The article of claim 4, wherein said indicia are produced usingscreen printing.
 8. The article of claims 5, 6 or 7, wherein saidindicia are located proximal to said opening.
 9. The article of claim 8,said article being a sock, said sock having a top edge defined by theuppermost portion of the sock, and the sock having a toe, said openingbeing defined by said top edge and said indicia being located betweensaid top edge and said toe.
 10. The article of claim 9, said sock havinga heel and said indicia being located between said top edge and saidheel.
 11. The article of claim 10, said sock having a welt top, saidwelt top having a top edge and a bottom edge, and said indicia beinglocated between said bottom edge of said welt top and said heel.
 12. Thearticle of claim 11, said sock being an anklet sock.
 13. An article ofclothing comprising: indicia imitative of a chain; and at least onecharm connected to the article and located proximal to said indicia. 14.The article of claim 13, wherein said indicia comprise a seriesintertwined links, each link having at most one charm located proximalto it.
 15. The article of claim 14, said indicia being imitative of acontinuous chain.
 16. The article of claim 15, wherein said indiciacomprise a metallic fiber.
 17. The article of claim 16, wherein saidindicia are produced using jacquard knitting.
 18. The article of claim16, wherein said indicia are produced using embroidery.
 19. The articleof claim 16, wherein said indicia are produced using screen printing.20. The article of claims 17, 18, or 19, said article having an openingand said indicia being located proximal to said opening.
 21. The articleof claim 20, said article being a sock, said sock having a top edgedefined by the uppermost portion of the sock, and the sock having a toe,said opening being defined by said top edge and said indicia beinglocated between said top edge and said toe.
 22. The article of claim 21,said sock having a heel and said indicia being located between said topedge and said heel
 23. The article of claim 22, said sock having a welttop, said welt top having a top edge and a bottom edge, and said indiciabeing located between said bottom edge of said welt top and said heel.24. The article of claim 23, said sock being an anklet sock.
 25. Anarticle of clothing comprising: an embroidered chain; and at last onecharm connected to the article of clothing adjacent to said embroideredchain.
 26. An article of clothing comprising: a printed chain; and atlast one charm connected to the article of clothing adjacent to saidprinted chain.
 27. An article of clothing comprising: a jacquard knittedchain; and at last one charm connected to the article of clothingadjacent to said knitted chain.